Hungary Waters Down Planned Tax on Internet Use

Wall Street Journal ^ | October 27, 2014 | Margit Feher

[ConservativeStatement]

BUDAPEST—Hungary’s government said Monday it will soften its stance on a proposed tax on Internet access after tens of thousands protested the plan that initially saw a steep levy on every gigabyte of online traffic.

After protests in Budapest and other cities in Hungary over the weekend, the administration of Prime Minister Viktor Orban said it filed a new version of its tax proposal, capping the tax at 700 forints ($2.87) a month for each individual subscriber and 5,000 forints for businesses. Internet service providers rather than subscribers are to pay the tax, according to the bill.

[OneHun]

The demonstrators are throwing old computer parts through the windows of the FIDESZ headquarters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckFOzNBpiIo#t=270

 

[pepsionice]

It was pumped out to the public, as I’ve read European press discuss this, as a tax on the IP provider himself and it would come out of his profits. That statement lasted about five minutes (my humble guess). No one buys onto taxes like this on industry or commercial operations anymore....knowing the company simply tacks this cost onto the bill of the consumer.

I’d also say this about countries like Czech and Hungary....landline infrastructure has hit a peak and declining. Most people use cellphones and I expect regular phoneline structure to basically disappear within thirty years within those countries. This taxation gimmick will be continually brought up, in my humble opinion.

[Moltke]

Internet service providers rather than subscribers are to pay the tax, according to the bill.

Which they will then NOT pass on to the subscribers. LOL.